Thursday, December 27, 2012

i absolutely love the holiday season and this pie here is one of those reasons as to why. i never thought i'd be a pie lover, but somehow over the years i've acquired the taste for these sweet treats. now, savory pie? ummm... let's not go there, because i'm nowhere near any of that (at least not yet). i've yet to try the ever so popular chicken pot pie or while in england, their famous pork pies. yeah, it's just not for me.

okay, now let's get back on track to sweet pies. yes, this pecan pie recipe is so good. i've tried many pecan pie recipes in the past and i think this one is my favorite by far. it has just the right amount of sugar/sweetness. it's not terribly sweet and for sure, nothing short of not enough sugar. it is sweet, but not one of those sugar overload kind of sweet. i think i prefer the dark corn syrup over the white as well. for some reason, it just makes a better looking pie. plus, the recipe is so easy and simple, i feel like i can really do it in my sleep. i love how it calls for vanilla extract, but i've made it many times in the past and omitted it by mistake and it still came out okay.

below's the recipe for this delicious holiday pie should you want to make it. yes, i know the big holiday rush is over, but who's to say you still can't make one? why not have a pecan pie to ring in the new year. every new year's eve we make a yule log to ring in the new year. that's because there's too much going on before and during christmas time that we figure we'll save one sweet treat til after christmas. it's definitely something sweet to look forward to. if i get a chance to take pics, i'll be sure to post the recipe for that sometime next week. for now, enjoy the recipe below! :)

this pecan pie recipe makes the perfect pie, every time! it is my favorite pie recipe by far.

In large bowl, with wire whisk, mix corn syrup, sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, and eggs until blended. With spoon, stir in pecans.

Pour filling into pie shell. Bake 43 to 45 minutes or until filling is set around edge but center jiggles slightly. Cool on wire rack at least 3 hours for easier slicing. Refrigerate leftovers up to 1 week.

In food processor with knife blade attached, blend flour and salt. Add butter and shortening, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle in ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition, until large moist crumbs just begin to form.

Line pie shell with foil or parchment, and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until beginning to set. Remove foil with weights, and bake 13 to 15 minutes longer or until golden. If shell puffs up during baking, gently press it down with back of spoon. Cool on wire rack until ready to fill.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

on this very last day of my 12 days of christmas baking i am ending with these delicious chocolate drizzled biscottis. i don't make biscottis very often and when i do, it's usually around this time of year. i love how you can make these ahead of time and have them ready for any occasion. these are great for gift-giving, especially if you have to mail them off somewhere. for sure they will not spoil because of their low-moisture content. that is always a plus when you know it'll be a while before they get eaten.

well, below's the recipe should you want to make some yourself. again, these are simple and easy to make. this have been my go-to recipe for many many christmases. the things i put in varies though. sometimes it's with cranberries and pistachio (like here), others it's with chocolate chips or raisins and walnuts. you can pick whatever you like. and to add that festive feel, you can follow the recipe below as is or create your own. i just went with a chocolate drizzle instead. enjoy! :)

i love making biscottis. they're simple and easy to make and you can make a bunch ahead of time! plus, they are delicious as well. :)

Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl to blend. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in the pistachios and cranberries.

Form the dough into a 13-inch long, 3-inch wide log on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until light golden, about 40 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes.

Place the log on the cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake the biscotti until they are pale golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.

Stir the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate melts. Dip half of the biscotti into the melted chocolate. Gently shake off the excess chocolate. Place the biscotti on the baking sheet for the chocolate to set. Sprinkle with the sugar crystals. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm, about 35 minutes.

Note: The biscotti can be made ahead. Store them in an airtight container up to 4 days, or wrap them in foil and freeze in resealable plastic bags up to 3 weeks.

Monday, December 17, 2012

i was short on time this morning so for the 11th day of my christmas baking, i went with a no-bake holiday classic. yes, the ever so popular peppermint bark. typically you could just use white chocolate but today i decided that i'd do some milk chocolate version as well. i guess i could have combined both all in one so you get a little bit of each, but instead i did them separately. these are so good especially if you're a chocolate lover. the peppermint adds that nice christmas-y and festive feel to these chocolates. they really are delish! plus, it's so easy to make, you cannot pass up making these this holiday season.

below's the recipe should you be interested. i say go ahead and make some yourself! enjoy. :)

we love peppermint bark. this classic christmas candy is perfect for any day of the week or gift-giving... and they're so easy to make too!

Lightly grease a 2 9x9 inch pan and line with waxed paper, smoothing out wrinkles; set aside.

Place the semisweet chocolate and 1 teaspoon of the canola oil in the top of a double boiler over just barely simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching. When the chocolate is melted, stir in 1/4 teaspoon of the peppermint extract. Pour the melted chocolate into the prepared pan, and spread evenly over the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle half of the crushed peppermints over the chocolate layer. Refrigerate until completely hardened, about 1 hour.

Repeat the steps above for the white chocolate portion.

note: if you want to make them all in the same pan (similar to ghirardelli's), then instead of prepping 2 pans, use just one and pour the white chocolate mixture on top of the semisweet one (just make sure you cool the semisweet mixture completely first). then wait until they're set before breaking them. enjoy! :)

Friday, December 14, 2012

last night we went and watched the nutcracker ballet. it's a traditional annual christmas thing with us. since we got home late and i didn't have time to make something time-consuming or intricate, i decided on your classic chocolate chip cookies, but with a slight twist. instead of the typical, i added in a dab of nutella inside the cookies and sprinkled sea salt on top before putting them in the oven. i have to say the added ingredients add a nice touch to the classic cookie. below's my favorite (so far!) chocolate chip recipe, with the two new ingredients added. feel free to try and make some yourself and let me know how they turn out! happy baking. :)

i love the added nutella and sea salt in these chocolate chip cookies. so good!

Either by hand or with electric mixer, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Mix in egg, yolk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients; mix until just combined. Stir in chips.

Form scant 1/4 cup dough into ball. Using finger or thumb, make an indentation and scoop 1/2 tsp of Nutella and put it in. Then close up the dough (roll it back into a ball again). Place formed dough onto one of two parchment paper-lined 20-by-14-inch lipless cookie sheets, about nine dough balls per sheet. Lightly press down on the cookie dough and sprinkle sea salt over it. Smaller cookie sheets can be used, but fewer cookies can be baked at one time and baking time may need to be adjusted.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

this is another great recipe and i'm definitely doing this again next year or whenever i feel like making toffee. actually, i'll be making them again in the next few days to send out to people in my yearly christmas baked goodies sent-outs. yes, every year i send random people my baked goods. i think these will do just fine during the delivery process (or so i hope).

this recipe is fantastic i say. i love how the saltine adds an extra crunch and the salty-ness of the cracker is definitely welcome. i love anything with a nice hint of salt. okay, below's the recipe should you be interested. they're pretty easy to make and took no time at all. enjoy!

directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast for about 6 minutes, until golden.

Line a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet with a silicone mat or lightly buttered parchment paper. Arrange the saltine crackers on the baking sheet in a single layer, patching any holes with cracker bits; slight gaps are okay.

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, butter and corn syrup and cook over low heat until the sugar is melted. Brush the side of the pan with a moistened pastry brush to wash down any sugar crystals. Cook the syrup over moderate heat without stirring until it starts to brown around the edge, about 5 minutes. Insert a candy thermometer into the syrup and simmer, stirring with a wooden spoon, until honey-colored caramel forms and the temperature reaches 300°, about 6 minutes longer.

Slowly and carefully pour the caramel over the crackers, being sure to cover most of them evenly. Using an offset spatula, spread the caramel to cover any gaps. Let cool for 3 minutes, then sprinkle the chopped chocolate evenly on top. Let stand until the chocolate is melted, about 3 minutes, then spread the chocolate evenly over the toffee. Spread the almonds evenly over the chocolate. Freeze the toffee until set, about 15 minutes.

Invert the toffee onto a work surface and peel off the mat or paper. Invert again, break into large shards and serve.

MAKE AHEAD The chocolate-almond saltine toffee can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

i have to say these are one of the best and easiest pecan bars i've ever made! actually, it's my first ever pecan bars i've ever made. ;) but that's besides the point. the point here is, these are so good, you must make some yourself! the salted caramel is just delish! and that added chocolate on top? yummy! everything about this bar is simply tummy-satisfying good. plus, it's so easy and simple to make with such few ingredients, why not?! so i say go ahead and make some today.

below's the recipe. do say you'll make some and let me know if you agree or disagree? i found this recipe on pinterest, and i'm so glad i did, because it is officially now a christmas/holiday keeper! actually, i may just make some throughout the year too. we'll see! enjoy. :)

Combine sugar, butter, and cream in a medium-size heavy saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla and pecans. Pour butter mixture over crackers, spreading to coat.

Bake at 350° for 10 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.

Immediately top warm bars with the chocolate chips. Let stand 3 minutes, and spread chocolate over bars. Then sprinkle with salt, and slide foil from pan onto a wire rack. Cool completely (about 30 minutes). Then chill for 20 minutes before breaking into bars and serving.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

who doesn't love french macarons? yes, i've finally made some again since that last giant batch of macarons i made for a wedding. i can't believe i haven't made any since then. to go with the whole christmas theme, i decided on the peppermint flavor macarons, sprinkled with peppermint candy on the side. and to add to that, since i personally like to have more than one flavor of macarons whenever i'm making/eating them, i went with (almost) everyone's favorite, the coffee nutella.

i know, i haven't gotten my recipe up for these macarons yet, but again, i promise i will write a blog post soon and post the recipe here as soon as i have it written out. in the meantime, you can browse through these previous posts and get david lebovitz's recipe from one of these posts.

enjoy and happy baking! :)

***UPDATE 12/18/12***

i've finally got the recipe written up. scroll below for the peppermint recipe. for the coffee nutella macaron recipe, please click here. enjoy and let me know how yours turn out if you make them! :)

i love how festive and flavorful these peppermint french macarons are!

these peppermint and coffee nutella macarons really turned out great. so yummy and just the perfect treat for a cold day with warm coffee/tea.

i absolutely love making and eating french macarons. i really can eat all of these delicious peppermint and coffee nutella macarons. ;)

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and have a pastry bag with a plain tip (about 1/2-inch, 2 cm) ready.

Sift together the powdered sugar, almond meal and 2 tablespoons of espresso so there are no lumps (usually I just use a fork to break any large lumps). If your almond meal isn't so fine, you can put the ingredients into a blender or food processor to make it finer. Personally, I'd just use the sifter and dump out any remaining crumbs that didn't make it through the sifting process.

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer (or if you prefer, you can use a bowl and hand mixer), beat the egg whites until they begin to rise and hold their shape. While whipping, beat in the granulated sugar until very stiff and firm, about 2 minutes.

Carefully fold the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the beaten egg whites with a flexible rubber spatula. If you want your macaron shells to be red, this is where you'd to add in the food coloring (with the dry ingredients), otherwise, you can just skip it and use the food coloring as paint to paint it on once the cookies are assembled (like I did!). When the mixture is just smooth and there are no streaks of egg white, stop folding and scrape the batter into the pastry bag (standing the bag in a tall glass helps if you’re alone).

Pipe the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheets in 1.35-inch (3.5 cm) circles evenly spaced one-inch (3 cm) apart. Quickly after it's piped, sprinkle a few espresso powder over each shell (this step is optional, personally I do it because I like how they macarons look once they're baked).

Rap the baking sheet a few times firmly on the counter top to flatten the macarons. Then it let sit for at 30-60 minutes (okay, I've done it with just 15 minutes before and they turn out fine, but whatever you do, do not skip this step; even at just 15 minutes) before baking them in the oven, 15-17 minutes. Let cool completely then remove from baking sheet.

to make the peppermint buttercream frosting filling: beat butter for a few minutes with a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed (or you can use a hand mixer). add the 2 cups of powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the sugar doesn’t blow everywhere) until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter. increase mixer speed to medium and add peppermint extract, and 1 tablespoon of milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. if your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. if your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining tablespoon of milk, a little at a time. once you've gotten the right consistency and the buttercream is complete, add in the crushed peppermint candy cane pieces and mix until incorporated. of course, this last part here is optional, you can skip it if you like. i personally like the added crunch when biting into my peppermint macaron, so i do this last step. :)

to assemble: Before assembling these cookies, make sure to pair up all the cookie shells so they are as close as possible in size. Then using a knife, spread a good amount of the peppermint filling on the inside of the macarons then sandwich them together. Sprinkle the crushed peppermint candy cane pieces over the filling portion of the assembled macaron. Or you can roll the cookie on the candy pieces. This last step adds a nice decorated touch to these peppermint macarons. They are so cute and delicious!

Let them stand at least one day (keep them refrigerated) before serving (serve at room temperature), to meld the flavors. Or if you can't wait to dig in and eat, I say wait a few hours, at least! (Shhhh, I've eaten them newly assembled too, and they taste just as yummy! hahahaha). But really, for the best optimal flavor and taste, you must wait at least one day. They really are THAT good and worth the wait!

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Makes about 16-20 cookies. Enjoy and happy eating! :)

Note: I typically just bake mine for 15 minutes and they turn out fine. But yours may be different as all oven temperatures vary so letting them bake the full 17 minutes may be fine. I say set your timer for 15 minutes and add on from there.

Monday, December 10, 2012

for this 6th day of christmas baking i decided to bake those delicious chocolate cream cheese cupcakes i made a while back (click through for the recipe). these are really good! unfortunately, this time around i missed one step or didn't do it quite right. instead of filling the center of the cake with the cream cheese filling, i spoon it on top. i didn't realize how they'd look until after they were all baked. instead of getting these yummy filled looking cream cheese cupcakes, i got spotted dalmatian-like cupcakes. oops. but hey! they still taste delicious, with or without frosting added. i chose to frost these instead. to go with the whole christmas theme, i frosted half of them with peppermint frosting and the other with good old chocolate frosting. you really cannot beat chocolate on chocolate.

okay, that's all for now. enjoy the photos. should you be interested, check out the recipe from the link above for the cupcakes. oh, the peppermint frosting recipe is below. enjoy! :)

directions:
beat butter for a few minutes with a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed (or you can use a hand mixer). add in the powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the sugar doesn’t blow everywhere) until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter. increase mixer speed to medium and add peppermint extract, and 2 tablespoon of milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. if your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. if your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining tablespoons of milk, a little at a time until you've reached the right consistency. makes 2-1/2 cups. :)

*note: if you want to pipe the frosting with that decorative red strips as seen in the pictures above, just be sure to use a paint brush and paint some red lines in your piping bag. make sure they're spread out (3-4 lines) before filling your bag with the frosting. you'll see the swirls as you pipe out the frosting.

Friday, December 7, 2012

for this fifth day of christmas baking i decided to try out a new recipe. i had pinned this from earlier in the week onto my holidays pinterest board. i'm just surprised i made it. actually, i'm very happy i made it because these are really good. no wonder it's one of brandon jew, chef of bar agricole (in sf)'s favorite holiday cookie recipe. of course, the name of the cookie sounds familiar (a family recipe maybe?!). but anyway, that's besides the point. the point here is, you should definitely make these cookies. the recipe's simple enough and the added Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal adds a delicious unexpected in a good way crunch when you bit into it. i love it!
below's the recipe should you want to make some tonight or any time! really, it's a little different from you typical chocolate chip cookie, but in a very good way. i made mine without the raisins because i don't care for raisins a whole lot. you can do the same or make the recipe as is. enjoy!

note: i baked my cookies for only 9 minutes. but of course, you know your oven best. still, i say you should side on baking them at the lesser time amount (12 mins) than the full 15 mins and checking to make sure the cookies are done, rather than over baking these cookies. :)

Thursday, December 6, 2012

cranberries are so festive this time of year. what's not to love about them?! nothing! since i had some left over cranberry from my cranberry apple breads i made sometime last week, i decided to make these cranberry apple bars. these are so delicious!

you can check out my blackberry crumb bars post for the recipe. basically, just substitute the blackberries for the cranberry and apples. i used 1 cup cranberries and 2 medium sized baking apples. of course, you can use whatever fruit you like for these as well. peach for one is a great fruit. the last time i made this recipe using peaches, oh man... they were soooooo good. no, really, like that good. the kind of good you wish you can replicate, but can't or not always. i have yet to make the peach kind again. i'm not sure it'll taste as good as that time. hmmm... maybe i'll have to consider it for some other time. :) enjoy the photos!

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

for the third day of my 12 days of christmas baking we have these delicious-looking french madeleine cookies. they really are the perfect little treat! they are soft and delicious, and smells so good when they're baking in the oven. the best part is, they are so easy to make and bake in no time! the recipe i used says anywhere between 10-16 minutes, but not in my oven! i make these babies in 7 minutes or less. now, you would have to play around with yours to figure out the perfect time to take them out.

so, how are these soft cake cookies festive? well, of course i didn't have time to decorate them this morning, not even to sprinkle powdered sugar on them! but you can certainly dip half of them in chocolate ganache or white chocolate and sprinkle some green/red sprinkles or sugar. or instead of dipping them in the ganache, you can just drizzle the ganache over them. now, maybe i'll have to bake these again and do that, then take some pics to show. maybe some other time. :)

below's the recipe should you be interested. to make these madeleine cookies you will need a metal mold with scallop-shaped indentations (madeleine pans). you can find them at amazon.com or any cookware stores. enjoy!

directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously butter and flour pan for large madeleines (about 3 x 1 1/4 inches). Using electric mixer, beat eggs and 2/3 cup sugar in large bowl just to blend. Beat in vanilla, lemon peel and salt. Add flour; beat just until blended. Gradually add cooled melted butter in steady stream, beating just until blended.
Spoon 1 tablespoon batter into each indentation in pan. Bake until puffed and brown, about 10-16 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Gently remove from pan. Repeat process, buttering and flouring pan before each batch. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead.
Dust cookies with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

makes 20 madeleine cookies.

note: everyone's oven is different so the baking time may vary. as mentioned above, i only need 7 minutes to bake mine, so if you want to be extra careful and not have burnt madeleines, i say feel free to check them after 7-8 minutes.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

who doesn't love chocolate crackle cookies? these snowcap cookies are so good! they're nice and moist and absolutely so sweet. now, i only make these around this time of the year. not sure why, but maybe it has something to do with the fact that they are so festive looking. you gotta say, the powdered sugar does give it quite the snowy look. plus, it's just one of those cookies you'd expect to have this time of year.

well, below's the recipe should you want to make some yourself. these are great for holiday cookie swaps, dessert tables or just because. now, stay tune to see what we have in store for day 3 of my annual 12 days of christmas baking. :)

directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Chop bittersweet chocolate into small bits, and melt over medium heat in a heat-proof bowl or the top of a double boiler set over a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and light-brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add melted chocolate. With mixer on low speed, alternate adding dry ingredients and milk until just combined. Divide the dough into quarters, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 2 hours.

On a clean countertop, roll each portion of dough into a log approximately 16 inches long and 1 inch in diameter, using confectioners’ sugar to prevent sticking. Wrap logs in plastic wrap, and transfer to a baking sheet. Chill for 30 minutes. Cut each log into 1-inch pieces, and toss in confectioners’ sugar, a few at a time. Using your hands, roll the pieces into a ball shape. If any of the cocoa-colored dough is visible, roll dough in confectioners’ sugar again to coat completely. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on a Silpat-lined baking sheet. Bake until cookies have flattened and the sugar splits, 12 to15 minutes.

Transfer from oven to a wire rack to let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

note: instead of rolling them into logs once they were chilled, i used a small cookie scooper and scooped them into balls, then tossed them into the powdered sugar. this step saves a bunch of time. you can try it this way, or follow the recipe as is. both works fine, i say.

Monday, December 3, 2012

today's the first official day of my annual "12 days of christmas baking". every year for the past 3 years i've done this. this year though will be different as i will record every baked good i bake for the next 12 days (weekends don't count, or maybe they do? i'm not sure, haven't decided yet).

so to kick off this year's 12 days of christmas baking, i decided on something simple that i can whip up in a flash (sort of -- hehe). these mini eggless chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting + peppermint candy toppings is just the perfect treat for this time of year. the chocolate cake recipe is always so delicious and they come out perfect every time. this have been my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe the last several times. they don't dry out and taste absolutely the way a chocolate cupcake should taste. i love it!

if you're interested in baking some yourself, you can check out this post here. the recipe should be there. ok, enjoy and come back for more days of christmas baking! :)

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

as mentioned in a previous post, yes, i did make 120 macarons (40 of each: coffee nutella, raspberry and chocolate ganache -- that's the one with the gold sparkly macaron shells) for a wedding a few weeks back. here are the photos of them and oh, they look scrumptious. i haven't baked any macarons since and now looking at them, it makes me want to bake some. hmmmm... one day soon, i'm sure. maybe i'll experiment with some holiday christmas-y flavor or something. you can't go wrong with a peppermint candy and eggnog or i don't know, something with marshmallow and hot cocoa. we'll see what i come up with the next time i bake these babies again. :)

alright, enjoy the photos! of course, if you'd like to make some macarons yourself, i do apologize that i don't have my recipe up yet. but when i do, i will certainly share it on here. in the meantime, you can browse through these previous posts and get david lebovitz's recipe from one of these posts.